Carbon sequestration in pasture and silvopastoral systems compared with native forests in ecosystems of tropical America

This research aims at identifying pasture and silvopastoral systems that provide economically attractive solutions to farmers and offer environmental services, particularly the recovery of degraded areas and Carbon (C) sequestration, in four ecosystems of tropical America vulnerable to climate change. Soil C stocks, C contents in biomass, and socio-economic indicators were evaluated in a wide range of pasture and silvopastoral systems under grazing, in commercial farms under conservation management practices. At each ecosystem and site, C evaluations were also performed for native forest (positive reference) and degraded soil (negative reference). Results of five years of research (2002–07) show that improved and well-managed pasture and silvopastoral systems can contribute to the recovery of degraded areas as C-improved systems.